Primary Outcome Measures:
- Score on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Rating on Children's Global Assessment Scale [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Depression diagnoses on the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) diagnostic instrument [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Score on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Score on the Social Adjustment Scale [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Score on the Perceived Social Support scale [ Time Frame: Measured immediately post-treatment and at Months 6, 12, and 18 follow-ups ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Depression is a serious medical illness that is difficult to diagnose and treat, especially in children and adolescents. Signs of depression in children may include the following behaviors: pretending to be sick; refusing to go to school; clinging to a parent; or worrying that a parent may die. Older children may sulk, behave inappropriately at school, act in a negative or grouchy manner, or feel misunderstood. Because normal behaviors vary from one childhood stage to another, it can be difficult to determine whether a child is going through a temporary "phase" or is suffering from depression. This study will compare IPT-AST, Enhanced IPT-AST, and Usual Care for the prevention of adolescent depression.
Participation in this single-blind study will last approximately 21 months. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either IPT-AST, Enhanced IPT-AST, or Usual Care for 12 weeks. IPT-AST is a school-based group intervention program that focuses on prevention, psychoeducation, and interpersonal skill-building. Enhanced IPT-AST will entail IPT-AST plus three parent-adolescent sessions. Usual Care will consist of standard treatments and will not include IPT-AST. Study visits will occur before and during the intervention at baseline and Weeks 6 and 12. Follow-up visits will occur 6, 12, and 18 months post-intervention. Study visit assessments will include depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, overall functioning, social adjustment, parent-child conflict, perceived support from parents and peers, and service utilization.